Interspecific cornus hybrid tree designated &#39;KN144-2&#39;

ABSTRACT

The physical manner in which the inflorescences on our new cultivar are displayed is unique as the flower heads are held erect on the rapidly elongating peduncles in the spring at nearly 90 degrees. When the telescoped vegetative bracts that protected the over-wintering flower buds have fallen, the rapidly growing peduncles elongate upward and the rapidly growing narrow pink-red floral bracts which are lightly attached at their apex enlarge upward until, with further growth, the floral bracts expand at an increased angle and look like butterflies perched on the vertical peduncles. The deep-cup shape of the floral bracts is unique among the comparative pink/red bracted clones of  C. kousa  listed above. The bracts of this new cultivar are believed to be larger and darker pink/red than those of any of the other pink/red cutivars of  C. kousa.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Cornus kousa×C. nuttallii

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘KN144-2’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A very vigorous F1 interspecific hybrid seedling among the progeny froma successful cross (April 20-21, 1973) of Cornus kousa×C. nuttallii‘Goldspot’ was used as the seed parent (KN3-3) in a species-backcrosswith C. kousa ‘Rosea’. Then a healthy, white-bracted seedling (KN30-4)was crossed with an unnamed plant of C. kousa to obtain progeny of thesecond species-backcross. Again, a typical white-bracted seedling (KN109-92) was used to obtain progeny from a third species-backcrosswherein ‘Rosabella’ was used as the pollen parent. From this thirdserial species-backcross, a superior seedling ‘KN144-2’ was selected.These aforementioned crosses are shown in the pedigree chart below. Noneof the antecedent parent plants are patented.

Progeny K23 D88 number Initial F1 cross C. kousa ×. C nuttallii‘Goldspot’ = KN3 Backcross 1 KN3-3* × C. kousa ‘Rosea’ = KN30 Backcross2 KN30-4* × unnamed C. kousa seedling = KN109 Backcross 3 KN109-92* × C.kousa ‘Rosabella’ = KN144 New Cultivar ‘KN144-2’ *Seedling number

The particular seedling, ‘KN144-2’ was selected from the progeny of thethird backcross generation grown in a cultivated area and, as a result,have in turn caused the same to be asexually reproduced by grafting,(usually by T-budding or chip-budding). It also can be propagated bysoftwood stem cuttings. The reproduction and actual growth and selectionof the new cultivar took place in the vicinity of New Brunswick, N.J.and has been found to be distinctive as to its winter-hardiness in thatarea, USDA Plant Hardiness Map Zone 6a.

As will be understood from the detailed description of the inventionwhich appears hereinafter, the new cultivar is in fact outstanding andreadily identified as being such. With the foregoing in mind, thedescription that follows will be understood as clearly defining the newcultivar, the desirable characteristics of which are the result of sucha program as has been heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The germinated seedling, which became the new cultivar ‘KN144-2’, wastransplanted from its seedling flat in the greenhouse to a one-galloncontainer on Dec. 18, 1996 and subsequently transplanted to the positionof Row 11, Plant 13 in Research Field #70 at a turf research farm of aNew Jersey state university at Adelphia, N.J. in October 1997. After theperformance of this plant had been evaluated in this field for sixgrowing seasons, it became clear that this plant exhibited superiorcharacteristics in growth habit and ornamental display includingexcellent branching, leaf characteristics, and dark pink/red floralbracts and excellent fall foliage color, plus drought tolerance, winterhardiness, and freedom from dogwood pests or diseases. In October 2003this plant was transplanted to a smaller research field at Millstone,N.J. where it is now growing as a 16-year-old plant. Also, it has beenpropagated by nurserymen in Tennessee and Oregon under a formal testingagreement with said New Jersey state university.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new variety of dogwood is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographic drawings, depicting the plant by the best possible colorrepresentation using color photography. All color references below aremeasured against The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.1966 Ed.). Colors of foliage, floral bracts, and other plant parts mayvary from year to year depending on horticultural practices, lightconditions, air temperature, soil fertility, etc.

FIG. 1 shows fall color and shape of original seedling tree of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 shows winter buds and fall color of foliage;

FIG. 3 shows floral bracts—signature cup-shaped;

FIG. 4 shows floral bracts—one week later; and

FIG. 5 shows close-up of cup-shaped floral bracts.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Tree.        -   Growth habit.—Densely branched low to ground and forms a            rounded head slightly wider than tall. Height. — 5.2 meters            at 16 years. Spread. — 5.8 meters at 16 years.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderate vigor typical of most seedlings of the            rubra variety of C. kousa currently in the trade, such as            ‘Satomi’ (unpatented), ‘Rosabella’, ‘Schmred’ (patented)            ‘Rosea’, ‘Benifuji’ (patented) and ‘Hanros’ (aka ‘Radiant            Rose’, (also patented)).        -   Cold hardiness.—Original seedling has suffered no winter            injury during the 16 years it has been observed in the field            in the vicinity of New Brunswick, N.J. in USDA Plant            Hardiness Map Zone 6a (−20° to −23° C.).        -   Trunk.—Circumference of the crown of the original seedling            at the soil level was 48.3 cm after 16 growing seasons with            heavily exfoliating bark on the trunk and base of large            branches up to 48.3 cm high. Moderately exfoliating bark on            the upper trunk. Color: — under exfoliating bark close to            199D Greyed-Brown Group, outer exfoliating bark black gray            with lenticels. Texture: — Sandpaper rough, bark exfoliating            at basal 1.52 m of trunk area. Lenticels: — Numerous but too            indistinct to count.        -   Branches.—Six trunks with five low branches coming off the            trunk at 35°-45° angles. Main branches starting at 28 cm            above soil level. Young branches quite smooth except for            presence of lenticels. Color: Closest to 197A Grey-Green            Group. Crotch angle: — 35°-45° angles. Lenticels. — Present            on younger and smaller branches but not sufficiently            distinct to provide any measure of number or density.            Texture. — Smooth with a few lenticels.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf size.—Lamina: Length: average 9.99 cm (n=40) (range            7.3-11.8 cm). Width: average 6.67 cm (n=40) (range 4.6-9.5            cm). (n=number of observations). Shape: — ovate. Apex: —            cuspidate. Base: — broadly attenuate. Margin. — mildly            crenulate.        -   Texture.—Adaxial leaf surface is smooth. Abaxial leaf            surface coarse due to prominently ridged midrib and lateral            veins.        -   Other features.—Lamina flat with many short, fine, white            hairs. Prominent brown tufts clustered in the axil of each            vein and midrib in the uppermost 2, sometimes 3, opposing            sets of veins. Also a few hairs scattered along the midrib.        -   Quantity.—Moderately dense.        -   Coloration.—Solid.        -   Mature foliage color:—Adaxial: Closest to 144A Green Group            with veins 187C Greyed-Purple group and in tip and margins.            Abaxial: Between 146D Yellow-Green Group.        -   Autumn foliage color at Millstone, N.J.—Adaxial surface: —            167A Grey-Orange Group. 181A Grey-Red Group. Leaf color is            clearly dependent on many environmental factors such as soil            type, exposure to sun, air temperature, day length,            available water and nutrients. Thus, leaf color may vary            from one area to another.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Location where observations were made.—Research field in            Millstone, N.J.        -   Type of inflorescence.—Flower head is a dense, basically            rounded mound but slightly more narrow at top.        -   Over-wintering flower buds.—7.7 mm high and 5.5 mm wide.            (n=12).        -   Peduncle.—In winter months, about 2 mm long and 2 mm wide.            Is completely covered, or enclosed, by 3 sets of opposing            appressed bracts. These valvate bracts are telescoped on the            peduncle immediately below its point of attachment to the            receptacle of the rounded flower head. These vegetative            bracts are uniformly wide at the point where they surround            the flower head but about that point they taper to a blunt            apex over the flower head close in slightly and taper to a            blunt apex over the flower head. Their color is 183A            Greyed-Purple Group.        -   Peduncle length in May.—The peduncle has grown rapidly from            its 2 mm size in winter to become 7 cm tall and the            inflorescence is ready to display the true flowers. One side            was 144B Yellow-Green Group and side two 51A Red Group with            tip and base end green and stippled reddish-pink center on            green stalk.        -   Size at time of flowering.—.

Length cm Width mm Year no. Average Average 2005 13 8.58 1.42 2008 157.36 2.10 2009 25 6.72 1.86 2012 5 7.72 1.96

-   Floral bracts:    -   -   Number.—Four, in two opposing pairs.        -   Size of floral bracts.—.

Average of Floral Bracts No. Inner bracts Outer bracts of Length WidthLength Width Inner Outer Year Bracts cm cm cm cm Involucral Spread 200820 6.9 5.1 7.0 5.3 14.1 14.3 2011 40 6.4 4.6 6.6 4.5 13.1 13.6The size of the floral bracts on plants of ‘KN144-2’ varies from year toyear due to the many environmental factors influencing the annual growthof trees. However, the floral bracts of our new hybrid are larger thanthose of any of the pink/red bracted cultivars of C. kousa previouslymentioned heretofore. The inner and outer bracts, including involucralspread, are similar in size and shape.

-   -   -   Color.—Start of floral display (early to mid-May): Adaxial            surface — 51A Red Group — deeper color around edges, tip and            basal end is 2D Yellow Group Abaxial surface — 2D Yellow            Group with pink veins and thin pink line at margin. Very            thin parallel lines and extreme pronounced veins on abaxial            and adaxial surface.        -   Shape.—ovate, with slightly overlap of the basal 30% of the            length of neighboring bracts.        -   Apex.—apiculate.        -   Base.—Obtuse with winged stalk, 4-5 mm wide at point of            attachment to peduncle and 5-10 mm long.        -   Bract stalk length and width.—insignificant.        -   Flower description.—Very floriferous. Single flowers            arranged in compact, dense heads subtended by the large            floral bracts. No observed fragrance. Flowers not            persistent. Floral display typically lasts about three weeks            or more, depending on weather conditions.        -   Flowering habit.—Anthesis of the tiny, relatively            inconspicuous true flowers generally commences 5-6 days            following the onset of the ornamental display of the large            floral bracts which generally occurs in central New Jersey            in mid-May and continues approximately for 2.5 to 3 weeks or            more depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Floral            development is asynchronous within the inflorescence. The            average number of true flowers per flower head of this new            cultivar is quite uniform from year to year. Number of true            flowers per flower head: average of 44.2 with a range of            37-57 flowers per head (n=30 flowers). True flowers are tiny            and relatively inconspicuous (each with four minute sepals,            petals and stamens, and one pistil.).

-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number per flower — 4 All parts of each organ are            minute in size and are insignificant.

-   Fruit:    -   -   Flower head with mature fruit.—Fruits are 2-celled,            typically 1 seeded, fleshy drupes that form a mounded            raspberry-like syncarp averaging 2.39 cm in height and            2.84 cm. in width with a flat base (averages based on 50            measurements each). The many ovaries are enclosed in a            fleshy rounded mass typical for fruit of C. kousa. The            exterior of the aggregate fruit is fairly smooth except for            the dried floral parts at the tip of each individual drupe:            i.e. the dried remains of the sepals and the persistent            style and stigma. Color varying at green to yellow to orange            to pink as the fruit matures and finally to 46A-42C Red            Group. Fruit ripen in late August and persist for six weeks            or more unless eaten by birds or animals.        -   Seed.—Color: — Closest to 199D Grey-Brown Group. Size: —            Averaging 5.72 mm (range 4.50-7.00 mm) length; 4.39 mm            (range 3.25-6.20 mm) width; and 2.8 mm (2.00-3.50 mm) in            thickness.(n=20). Shape: — typical for C. kousa.        -   Resistance to insects and diseases.—No insect or disease            problems were observed during the 15 years the original            seedling of the variety ‘KN144-2’ has been tested in the            field.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of dogwood tree,substantially as herein shown and described, comprising an advancedgeneration interspecific hybrid of (Cornus kousa×C. nuttallii) withvarious C. kousa.